The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Nevada Endorsements for 2010

Elliot Anderson for Nevada Assembly

Elliot Anderson is running for Nevada's state Assembly (District 15) in Clark County. Anderson is a unique candidate in that he has been endorsed by a wide spectrum of Nevada's organizations: from Las Vegas LGBT Publications and Nevada Conservation League all the way to the National Rifle Association. More importantly to my interests in his campaign, VoteVets.org and Howard Dean's Democracy for America have also endorsed Elliot Anderson for Nevada Assembly. He is a true progressive who also can talk to the NRA...that is a rare opportunity! Here is Anderson's campaign statement to DFA:

Before graduating from high school, Elliot Anderson signed up for the U.S. Marine Corps. Serving as a machine gunner for four years on active duty and three years in the inactive reserve (including a combat deployment to Afghanistan), he returned a decorated marine. He received numerous medals awarding his service, including the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, a Combat Action Ribbon, and the Rifle Expert Badge. After his return from duty, Elliot began searching for a place to call home and build his future. Nevada turned out to be the perfect fit.

Once moving to Nevada in 2005, Elliot immediately became recognized by many as an individual with a strong work ethic who was dedicated to improving our community. . While serving as the Interim Chair of the Nevada Democratic Veterans and Military Families Caucus, he helped to raise funds in order to send care packages to America’s men and women overseas.

Currently serving as the Nevada State Captain for VoteVets.org, Elliot works to empower and elect to office America’s veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Elliot has also worked hard with the community to address our service men and women’s needs. Recently, Elliot has successfully fought for the people in Assembly District 15 at the Nevada legislature. While working for our current Assemblywoman, Kathy McClain, Elliot was able to develop and present language for a Bipartisan veterans bill that passed unanimously in both the Senate and the Assembly. Elliot not only continues to work hard at all he does, but has made a commitment to use these experiences in order to advocate for better communication between residents and the elected officials who represent them.

In the military, in school, and in his civilian life, Elliot gained unique qualifications which differentiate him from others. While serving our country, he learned how to negotiate in order to find common ground between disagreeing parties, and also the importance of fighting for those who don’t have a voice of their own. While working for Assembly 15, he quickly grasped the ins and outs of the legislative process, while proving himself as someone who listens and believes in working towards a goal that benefits the people. His involvement with numerous community organizations established him as a leader in grassroots and community outreach. Elliot has become the perfect choice to represent the people of Assembly 15.

Representative John Oceguera is the kind of candidate I love to support. From the Indigenous Democratic Network (INDN List):

Representative Oceguera, an enrolled member of the Walker River Paiute Tribe, has spent his life serving the community as a firefighter and member of the IAFF. In 2008, he was named Assistant Fire Chief of the North Las Vegas Fire Department. In the state legislature John has been an effective leader and most political insiders believe he is on track to be the next Speaker of the House.

John is being challenged for reelection by a Republican for the Nevada State House of Representatives in District 16.

I love to see firefighters, cops and teachers elected to public office and more often than not they wind up being better at representing actual people than do the lawyers that are generally elected. Oceguera is an excellent legislator and deserves re-election.

In 2000, John Oceguera was elected to the Nevada State Legislature as Assemblyman for District 16 in Southeast Las Vegas. The voters in District 16 have returned John to office every two years since that time.

Oceguera served on four legislative committees in his freshman year: Commerce and Labor, Constitutional Amendments, Judiciary, and Transportation.

By 2003, Oceguera was named Assistant Majority Leader and Vice-Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. He also served on both the Commerce and Labor Committee and the Transportation Committee. During the period between legislative sessions, he served on the Legislative Subcommittee to Study the Death Penalty and Related DNA Testing. Additionally, he was one of a select number of young legislators appointed to a Toll Fellowship, a bipartisan organization which trains new legislators nationwide.

In the 2005 session of the Nevada Legislature, he continued as Assistant Majority Leader, chaired the Transportation Committee, served as vice chair of the Committee on Commerce and Labor, and continued to serve on the Judiciary Committee.

Following that session, Oceguera chaired interim committees to review regulations and study legislative security. He was vice chair of the Legislative Commission, and continues to hold that position. Trusted with additional leadership duties, John served in 2005 and 2006 on the Committee to Consult With the Director and the Legislative Counsel Bureau Biennial Budget Review Committee.

At the beginning of the 2007 legislature, Oceguera became Assembly Majority Leader and took over the reins as chair of the Committee on Commerce and Labor. He continued working on the Judiciary Committee.

In Carson City, Oceguera has a reputation for being thoroughly informed on the issues, ready to ask the tough questions and willing to go the extra mile for the district he represents. Back in his district, he is known for keeping the lines of communication open to the residents and businesses there. He takes a grass roots approach to both campaigning and representation, often going door-to-door, meeting with the voters and hearing their concerns first-hand.

Rory Reid has been endorsed by Democracy for America. Here's what they have to say about him:

Rory Reid is running for governor because he believes that Nevada needs a fundamental change in direction to realize its potential and compete in the 21st Century economy.

He's won the support of DFA members across the state and is DFA's Nevada All-Star. Join the campaign today and help put it over the top in November.

Here is Rory Reid's statement to DFA:

I am a Nevadan through and through. I grew up here, went to school here, raised my family here, and built a successful career devoted to public service here. My three children have gone through the public school system and my wife, Cindy, is a longtime educator.

An attorney by trade, I have served as leader of one of the largest and most complex counties in the nation, serving more than 2 million residents – more than 70% of the state’s population – and more than 40 million visitors each year.

Clark County covers more than 8,000 square miles, providing social services, overseeing businesses in the region – including the Las Vegas Strip, and managing the nation’s fifth busiest airport - with a budget nearly equal to the State of Nevada’s entire general fund.

As chairman of the Clark County Board of Commissioners, I have worked to ensure fiscal discipline during difficult times, while promoting job creation and economic development.

One of my first initiatives when elected to the Clark County Commission in 2002 was to reform government ethics and transparency. I led the groundbreaking effort to crack down on lobbying, conflicts of interests and gifts.

Clark County’s smart fiscal planning helped to avert the drastic budget cuts that have plagued the rest of the state. Clark County has reserved 8-10% of its revenues in a rainy day fund, hedging against economic downturns. Under my leadership, Clark County has never raised taxes, and balanced its budget every year.

Goals:

I am running for governor because I believe that Nevada needs a fundamental change in direction to realize its potential, compete in the 21st Century economy, and provide a high quality of life for all residents – present and future.

Nevada is at the bottom of important lists because for too long our state has suffered without leadership, and with no discernible plan for the future – not for economic diversification, not for jobs, and certainly not for education. And we can no longer survive, let alone thrive, with an economy solely dependent on the volatile fortunes of the tourism industry.

My campaign is built around real ideas, calling upon experts in Nevada and around the country, and citing proven successes and lessons from other states that might be adapted and applied successfully here.

Issues:

My top three priorities are to put Nevadans back to work by diversifying our economy, transforming our schools and addressing our state’s difficult budget crisis.

We must do more to diversify our economy. The day I announced my candidacy, I introduced a 30-page plan, The Virtual Crossroads, to create a new economy in Nevada. This document proposes a fundamentally new direction for Nevada. It is a new approach to economic development that captures the full potential of the state, and new leadership that has been sorely lacking in Carson City. I also plan to release an energy plan this summer that will create better ways to tap into Nevada’s vast renewable energy potential.

Earlier this year, I released my EDGE plan, which will totally transform our schools. It will give educators the ability to create professional learning environments in our schools. Everyone – the governor, parents, teachers and principals – must be part of the solution to ensure our children are ready for the 21st Century economy. I believe that we can create a stronger economy by focusing on stronger schools, while providing our children with the education they need to succeed in the 21st Century.

Finally, I will work to address our state’s difficult budget crisis. We must grow our economy in order to generate more revenue. And to grow our economy in the current competitive global climate, we must invest in education. It’s that simple.

To free up the resources necessary to improve our schools, upgrade our workforce, attract higher-paying jobs, and pay down the past decades’ debts, we will need to cut back in other areas. That will require finding efficiencies wherever we can and cutting waste, reinventing Nevada’s outdated state government for the 21st Century, using new thinking to do better with less, and eliminating unnecessary expenditures.